1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to concrete form systems, and, more specifically, to concrete form systems with modular components that can be used to construct various types, sites, and shapes of concrete structures, such as concrete footings.
2. Description of Related Technology
Concrete footings are routinely poured all over the world. These footings provide a solid, secure base on which to build walls or other structures. In the United States, concrete footings are poured for nearly every new home or office building at is points where the weight of the building rests. For new homes, footings are generally poured around the perimeter of the building to provide support for the foundation walls, as well as inside the perimeter to support structural columns or posts.
In the past, conventional concrete footings were often constructed by nailing together plywood or other materials into a form with a desired shape and pouring the concrete into the space created by the plywood. After the concrete is cured, the plywood is separated from the concrete, typically using a hammer. This often results in cracking and splintering of the plywood, thus making the plywood unusable creating new footings. This not only wastes material, but can be a safety hazard because splintered wood can cause injury to the unwary.
Some existing systems have attempted to overcome these drawbacks. For example, one system can include numerous panels with complex grooves or channels connected to the ends of each panel. The channels are designed to allow adjacent panels to interlock, which allows a form to be constructed. This known system requires that complex shaped inserts be placed within the channels to connect the panels. In particular, a first insert could be used to fix adjacent panels into a generally parallel configuration. Another type of insert may be used to fix adjacent panels into a perpendicular configuration.
Unfortunately, this known system also has several drawbacks. For example, the channels are difficult to manufacture because they have a complex structure. In addition, due to the complex structure of the channels, mud or other debris can easily clog the channel which makes it difficult or impossible to use the inserts. Further, if channels in adjacent forms are not precisely aligned, the inserts can be difficult or impossible to use. This is particularly true for the inserts used to join two forms at an angle.
Additionally, because the panels have a predetermined length, it is difficult to design a footing system with the exact dimensions that a user would want. Accordingly, it may be necessary to modify one or more panels to create a form with the desired size and configuration. This undesirably increases the time and cost required to construct the footing.
Finally, this conventional system requires the use of multiple different inserts to enable a user to place the panels at different angular orientations. Thus, it is necessary to identify the inserts needed prior to creating the form. Additionally, any changes in the design of the form require additional time while more panels and/or inserts are obtained, which also increases the costs.